A river with a good chum run usually means that the river also supports a good silver and steelhead run. The reason why, is due to the fact that chum come into the river system, and spawn quicker than any other salmon. A chum is only in the river system for a couple weeks. Once these fish die they become the main source of food for the smolts. With out an adequate food supply these smolts stand a good chance of starving. There are other food supplies throughout the river system but carcasses are one of the best supplies. Now comes the problem. Chums come in during late October through November and by the time December rolls around and all the high water has washed out all of the sediment, including any dead fish, the smolts are left with no food. So what a small group of local fishermen are doing is trying to get as many chum carcasses that we can and freeze them until a lot of the higher water has blown through and then anchor them down somehow or another. Either jam them into logjams and root wads or some how tie them down to the river bottom. So I guess is what I am asking is for as many carcasses that I can get. I have a lot of connections through different hatcheries and they all agree that this would be a worthwhile endeavor. If anyone has any idea on where or how to get a lot of carcasses let me know either through email or phone.


Thanks,
Andy Matthews
538-1798
answer@tecline.com

Andy, The first place that comes to mind is Hoodsport. This might be a use for the carcasses that are stripped for eggs.
www.tdn.com/archive/1010area2.htm
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[This message has been edited by Keta (edited 10-26-2000).]

I would also be interested in carcasses to deposit in my local river. we get no chum run and the very few kings that make it this far don't do much I would be willing to drive and take a truckload back.

Contact the Nisqually tribe.

This is a good idea, but arent the hatchery people doing this already? If not they should be. Smolts and parr get thier main source of food from insects living in the river environment, such as caddis, stonefly, midges, and mayfly populations. All of which feed on things from plant material to dead Salmon. At least from what I have read. good idea though !

Andy,

I agree with the deposit of carcasses, just a question. If the high waters blow the carcasses down stream and historically this is the way nature designed this system. Why did it "evolve" with these timeframes? Seeing as the fry hatch is spring I would think that is when the carcasses should be distributed not when they would naturally rot.


Hope this doesn't get taken wrong just a question.
thick

The Willapa Bay Fisheries Enhancement Group is looking for volunteers to help place thousands of salmon carcasses from area hatcheries in local rivers.
Call Sandy Wildhaber @ 360-942-3847.

In response to Thickline,

Carcasses are eaten directly by other fish when available (imitated by the infamous "flesh fly pattern). Then carcasses decompose, fertilize plants that grow more insects (aquatic and terrestrial) that are eaten by fish.

High water does blow carcasses downstream. What happens to them? Some get lodged in deep holes, some in logjams and rootwads, and some blow all the way to the estuary. All good things, but you can see that a stream with an abundance of deep holes and log jams has an advantage over a stream that doesn't. Even in the estuary, carcasses decompose, are fed upon by little amphipods and copepods that later feed juvenile fish. Did you know that productive estuaries greatly magnify the productivity of the rivers that flow into them. If coastal rivers had large estuaries like the Puget Sound rivers once had, they would be awash in fish. Just a thought.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

side slider, i know your intensions are good and i agree with what every body is saying but without proper authorization you could be looking at a big fine might check first and save yourself a big headach

[This message has been edited by DOUG KELLY (edited 11-02-2000).]

I'd have to agree with Doug. I am sure that some type of permit will be necessary. There are many projects on going which you may be unaware of in any particular stream...for instance spawning surveys count carcasses. If you were to dump fish into these rivers and streams you would be interferring with the studies. I think it would be better to volunteer your services to the state hatchery personel...I am sure that there are projects out there that need some volunteer help. Good Luck!

I think that enhancing a stream with carcasses is a good thing, however, I think that Doug Kelley brought up a good point about getting a permit, etc., etc.. The last thing you would want to do is get busted for helping out. I think I would go postal if I got ticketed for stream enhancement when there are snaggers out there snagging in the same spot every day without getting popped.

I am not a fisheries scientist, but I also wonder if introduction of a foreign species to a watershed might bring diseases to that system that present species have not developed an immunity to. Just my .02

All in all, I think you have a good thing going, Andy and others. Keep up the good work.

Justin

CEO, Sauk River Steelhead Ranch

The today Oregonian has an article about this very subject check it out. Salmo G thanks for the reply, with further thought on this I guess I tought the carcasses decomposed quicker than they do. Hope to see you again during the spring C&R season on the Skagit.